Left Plymouth at 08.00 on Friday 10th July arriving in Roscoff at 14.30. Planned an overnight stop at some 260 miles
south, continuing our journey to La Confiance near MARTIZAY for 7 nights of fully catered accommodation – this year our evening meals were taken in the garden.
The high temperatures were unexpected – above 30C every day reaching a max of 39C on Wednesday 15th July

We were some 6 weeks later than our last visit in 2013 so we didn’t know whether some species will have departed after breeding.

We achieved a total of 130 species all of which were self found compared with 129 in 2013.

Total distance travelled was 1150 miles.

A synopsis of daily visits and highlighted species recorded were:-

Friday 10th July – Plymouth – Roscoff – Sable sur Sarthe

From the Ferry we picked up GANNET, MANX SHEARWATER, SANDWICH TERN, MEDGULL, SHAG, by the time we arrived at our
overnight stay species list had reached 30.

Saturday 11th July – Sable sur Sarthe – La Brenne.

In the grounds of the Hotel – 2 FIRECREST. Our route took us to Angers so that we could follow the River Loire to
Montsoreau (8 miles SE of Saumur). The water level of the river was low providing lots of area for birds.

First BLACK KITE overhead, up to several hundred LITTLE TERN plenty of COMMON TERN, LAPWING, HERON, CORMORANT,
LITTLE EGRET and a few COMMON SANDPIPER, LITTLE RINGED PLOVER, YELLOW LEGGED GULL, WHITE WAGTAIL, GARDEN WARBLER and BLACKCAP, KINGFISHER, YELLOWHAMMER and
the first SERIN.

Arriving at La Confiance time to relax in the garden and watch RED SQUIRREL, BUZZARD, CUCKOO, GREEN
WOODY and a nice female MONTAGUES HARRIER.

Species total 57.

Sunday 12th July.

A walk around the nearby fields (which we did for 1 hour every morning) produced a pair of MONTAGUES HARRIER, BLACK KITE, GREAT SPOTTED WOODY,
SKYLARK, male CIRL BUNTING, YELLOW WAGTAIL, TURTLE DOVE, NIGHTINGALE, MISTLE THRUSH, SPARROWHAWK – by far the commonest warbler was
BLACKCAP.

Passing through the village of MARTIZAY we picked up BLACK REDSTART, COOT and GREAT CRESTED
GREBE.

First Etang Hide we visited was SOUS which within 5 minutes provided us with the rarest bird of the trip with views down to 20 feet a
LITTLE CRAKE (a very rare bird in La Brenne),

Good but brief sightings of LITTLE BITTERN, LITTLE and GREAT CRESTED GREBE, 20 CATTLE EGRET, PURPLE HERON,
GADWALL and MALLARD.

A HONEY BUZZARD flew over. Still over 100 WHISKERED TERN many pairs with young on the water
lilies. A GREAT REED WARBLER just outside the hide.

Next stop was our regular picnic lunch spot of LA GABRIERE this lake continued 200 MUTE SWAN, 300+ COOT, 50+ GREAT CRESTED
GREBE, 2 BLACK-NECKED GREBE onlyBLACK TAILED GODWIT of the trip LAPWING and LITTLE RINGED PLOVER. A few WHISKERED TERN and BLACK TERN,
2 GREAT WHITE EGRET, TUFTED DUCK and RED CRESTED POCHARD (with young), a NIGHT HERON. In the nearby gardens a family group of SPOTTED
FLYCATCHER and a male CIRL BUNTING.

Next stop was ETANG ESSAY – very hot, where we added our first MARSH HARRIER and a pair of RED BACKED
SHRIKE.

Returning through ST MICHEL EN BRENNE towards MARTIZAY there is a small marsh where we had 65 CATTLE
EGRET and 25 LAPWING. A HOOPOE on the telephone wires and the call of our first CHIFFCHAFF.

Final stop of the day was a fresh water marsh about 1 mile on D50 beyond the hamlet of LES BERGERAUX. Just off
to the left, park in field. This was the second best site we found for Waders – 1 WOOD SANDPIPER, 125+ LAPWING, 2 LITTLE RINGED PLOVER, 1 GREATWHITE
EGRET, 1 Juv NIGHT HERON, 6 LIITTLE EGRET, LINNET,STONECHAT in the fields, 10+ YELLOW WAGTAIL (all Juv) and a SEDGE WARBLER.
Overhead a female MARSH HARRIER and a male HEN HARRIER.

By the roadside at MARTIZAY our only OSPREY.

Totting up the species list over a couple of cold beers we had achieved 94.

Chris at La Confiance had told us of a quarry where earlier in the year BEE-EATER had been seen near the hamlet of
DURTALLE. On arrival very quickly picked up 5 BEE EATER, also TURTLE DOVE and BLACK REDSTART.

A journey of some 260 miles completed in our first rain and nothing particular to report – except long traffic queues at the peage motorway toll
booths.

Sunday 19th July –LOUDEAC to ROSCOFF – PLYMOUTH

As our ferry was not departing until 16.30 took the opportunity to follow the estuary from MORLAIX to ROSCOFF which
added to the trip list – REDSHANK, CURLEW, OYSTERCATCHERand SHELDUCK. Some nice adult MED GULLS amongst the BLACK HEADED
GULLS.

At Roscoff around the harbour a ROCK PIPIT.

A flat and calm crossing back to PLYMOUTH . Most of the species recorded were seen in the last 5 miles – a flock of 50+
MANX SHEARWATER, a lone SOOTY SHEARWATER flew east, FULMAR and 3 RAZORBILL.

Final species total was 130

The main area we visited La Brenne is one of the most under visited areas of France by British Birdwatchers, the range of species we
recorded gives a visitor some indication of what can be seen. Maps of the local area are available at the Maison du Parc.

La Confiancerun by an English couple Chris and Sue is unique – food is outstanding
even a well packed picnic box is provided – there are not that many places to easily pick up lunch.

Terms offered by Chris and Sue are very, very competitive and include aperitif and wine with 5 course Dinners.